Writing has become a fiercely competitive arena. What was once shielded away from the masses and reserved for the elite few, backed by the big 5, has now become accessible to everyone. With the rise of KDP and IngramSpark, self publishing is booming - but it can be hard for debut authors to be heard. So, take a leaf from the promotional industry book and stop printing bookmarks and totes.
I've dipped my toes into the promotional industry, and combined this knowledge with my knowledge of writing and business. As a self published writer in the urban fantasy and erotica genres, I've paired up some of my favourite high-power promo items to genres they will work best in. Below, I've rounded up some of the greatest promotional items at affordable prices to help you make your launch the most successful it can be.
Wholesale Hip Flasks
Hip flasks are traditionally given for birthdays and other milestones, but did you know they're also highly sought after in the promotional industry? Wholesale hip flasks are ridiculously cheap, and they're also incredibly durable and versatile. If you're writing romance, erotica, or adventure, hip flasks are really a wonderful option for you to add to your author swag bags. Hip flasks can be functional, or they can also be display pieces. Pair a luxurious hip flask with your books' branding, and you're got a low-cost, high-impact swag item that will keep you on your readers mind.
My favourite supplier of wholesale hip flasks is the UK-based wholesale trader UK Hip Flasks. They have a really wide range of hip flasks, jewellery and other accessories, but their range of flasks is absolutely unrivalled. Their adorable 1oz hip flask key ring is incredibly versatile, and a permanent reminder of your branding that will be with your recipient every day of the year (or at least when they have their keys to hand!). If you have a main character with a favourite tipple, you can even have these flasks engraved with a message from your protagonist, or a date etc, to pack some serious punch. If you're writing a millionaire romance, UK Hip Flasks also has a range of beautifully luxurious hip flasks in a range of prices which would be excellent for your swag bags!
Personalised Paperback/Hardback Copies
A lot of authors go this route for their swag bags. If you offer both ebook and paperback, it makes sense to order a few copies for your readers to get ahead of schedule, or even signed. But it's something that ebook-exclusive authors neglect. A personalised paperback is highly sought after for a variety of reasons, and works with nearly every genre there is. But what about a truly custom paperback edition, limited to a run of however many swag bags you have to offer?
You can purchase your paperbacks from places like KDP and IngramSpark, and you can ask your designer to make you a truly personal book jacket to give your readers a piece of something totally unique. Perhaps a small message on the back cover, under the blurb, or a totally new design, is enough to make it stand out on a book case as a limited first-edition print. If you'd like to hire a designer to work on your cover, you can find designers on 99designs and Fiverr, or you can browse my portfolio page and see what I have to offer! Simply email me and quote 'ALTCOV25' in the subject line to receive your alternate cover for only $25 when purchased with a normal cover.
Silver Plated Roses
Traditionally reserved for St Vals, silver plated roses are an excellent promo item for your swag bags if you're writing in the romance genre. Engraving Excellence, another UK-based business, offers these silver plated roses quite cheaply, and they have free engraving, too. Every order from them has come quickly (usually in two days), so their roses are an awesome addition to your range if you want a low-cost piece of luxury for your swag bags. They engrave these items on the beautiful silver tag, which would be an excellent place to pop the name of your winner, or the name of your book's love interest.
A silver plated rose can be an excellent promotional item to add to your author swag bags, but they're slightly more expensive than the other options on this list - so maybe set them aside for a handful of winners.
I've dipped my toes into the promotional industry, and combined this knowledge with my knowledge of writing and business. As a self published writer in the urban fantasy and erotica genres, I've paired up some of my favourite high-power promo items to genres they will work best in. Below, I've rounded up some of the greatest promotional items at affordable prices to help you make your launch the most successful it can be.
Wholesale Hip Flasks
Hip flasks are traditionally given for birthdays and other milestones, but did you know they're also highly sought after in the promotional industry? Wholesale hip flasks are ridiculously cheap, and they're also incredibly durable and versatile. If you're writing romance, erotica, or adventure, hip flasks are really a wonderful option for you to add to your author swag bags. Hip flasks can be functional, or they can also be display pieces. Pair a luxurious hip flask with your books' branding, and you're got a low-cost, high-impact swag item that will keep you on your readers mind.
My favourite supplier of wholesale hip flasks is the UK-based wholesale trader UK Hip Flasks. They have a really wide range of hip flasks, jewellery and other accessories, but their range of flasks is absolutely unrivalled. Their adorable 1oz hip flask key ring is incredibly versatile, and a permanent reminder of your branding that will be with your recipient every day of the year (or at least when they have their keys to hand!). If you have a main character with a favourite tipple, you can even have these flasks engraved with a message from your protagonist, or a date etc, to pack some serious punch. If you're writing a millionaire romance, UK Hip Flasks also has a range of beautifully luxurious hip flasks in a range of prices which would be excellent for your swag bags!
Personalised Paperback/Hardback Copies
A lot of authors go this route for their swag bags. If you offer both ebook and paperback, it makes sense to order a few copies for your readers to get ahead of schedule, or even signed. But it's something that ebook-exclusive authors neglect. A personalised paperback is highly sought after for a variety of reasons, and works with nearly every genre there is. But what about a truly custom paperback edition, limited to a run of however many swag bags you have to offer?
You can purchase your paperbacks from places like KDP and IngramSpark, and you can ask your designer to make you a truly personal book jacket to give your readers a piece of something totally unique. Perhaps a small message on the back cover, under the blurb, or a totally new design, is enough to make it stand out on a book case as a limited first-edition print. If you'd like to hire a designer to work on your cover, you can find designers on 99designs and Fiverr, or you can browse my portfolio page and see what I have to offer! Simply email me and quote 'ALTCOV25' in the subject line to receive your alternate cover for only $25 when purchased with a normal cover.
Silver Plated Roses
Traditionally reserved for St Vals, silver plated roses are an excellent promo item for your swag bags if you're writing in the romance genre. Engraving Excellence, another UK-based business, offers these silver plated roses quite cheaply, and they have free engraving, too. Every order from them has come quickly (usually in two days), so their roses are an awesome addition to your range if you want a low-cost piece of luxury for your swag bags. They engrave these items on the beautiful silver tag, which would be an excellent place to pop the name of your winner, or the name of your book's love interest.
A silver plated rose can be an excellent promotional item to add to your author swag bags, but they're slightly more expensive than the other options on this list - so maybe set them aside for a handful of winners.
Comments
Post a Comment